Marseille are fuming that Arsenal have given a full debut to Mathieu Flamini.
Marseille officials are reported to be fuming that Arsenal gave a full competitive debut to Mathieu Flamini in the Premiership opener at Everton on Sunday.The 20-year-old came off the bench to play the final 20 minutes of the North Londoners' 4-1 triumph at Goodison Park.
The French outfit insist the midfielder contravened French league rules by signing for Arsenal as FFF regulations state any player who has come through the youth ranks at a club must sign his first professional contract with them.
Flamini chose to quit Stade Velodrome, claiming Marseille had shown no real desire to keep him, but his decision angered president Christophe Bouchet.
The Marseille supremo reported Arsenal to the FFF and claimed he would not send the relevant documentation to allow Flamini to play in England unless The Gunners agreed to pay a hefty compensation fee.
It had seemed Fifa would be called in to resolve the dispute, but world football's governing body appear to have granted Arsenal permission to play Flamini - hence his debut at Everton.
Marseille are understood to be surprised and far from happy that Flamini has now played, and will be contacting Fifa for clarification on the matter.
